Whilst blondes often have to deal with unwanted yellow tones in between salon visits, for brunettes, it’s usually orange, brassy tones. My naturally brunette hair colour has often been prone to lifting in the sun anyway, but after having some permanent colour to cover greys a while ago, I’m now contending with the colour lifting into a brassier hue than I’d like, and my balayage has a warmth to it that I’d like to cool down.
There are lots of products catering to blondes, such as purple shampoos; however, there are now more options than ever catering to brunette hair too. Of course, many of the products that help to counter yellow in blonde also help to cancel out orange in brunette hair.
I’ve spent the past year trying to grow out the unwanted warmth in my hair, and so I’ve been trying a lot of hair products—from shampoos and conditioners to hair masks and treatments—to find out what really works. Whilst they might not be miracle workers, they definitely help. If you too want to remove brassy tones from your dark hair, then scroll on for my tried-and-tested products that really work. Whether you have brown hair with blonde highlights or want to add coolness to your current brunette tone, scroll on.
Best Products for Brassy Brunette Hair
- Best Shampoo: K18 Hair Triplebright Oxidation Defense Purple Shampoo
- Best Conditioner: Kérastase Blond Absolu Nourishing Conditioner
- Best Colour-Depositing Mask: Wella Professionals Color Fresh Semi-Permanent Colour Mask
- Best Hair Gloss: Glaze Supergloss Color Conditioning Gloss
- Best Shower Filter: Hello Klean Shower Head+
1. K18 Hair Triplebright Oxidation Defense Purple Shampoo
Best Shampoo
I’ve tested a lot of shampoos for my brassy lengths, but this shampoo is one of the best and boasts the best technology for removing brassiness and brightening highlights or balayage on dark hair as well as blonde. It’s a shampoo foam with a bright violet hue, but it goes further than your typical purple shampoo. You leave it on for three minutes, and it actively helps to remove buildup from the hair that contributes to unwanted brassiness, helping to neutralise tones back to their former glory. My ends always look much more refreshed after using this once a week.
Pros
- Neutralises brassy tones
- Works in three minutes as part of your shampoo routine
Cons
- You may need to follow up with a second shampoo
2. Kérastase Blond Absolu Nourishing Conditioner
Best Conditioner
Pros
- Helps to neutralise brassy tones in balayage or highlights
- Leaves colour looking refreshed and glossy
Cons
- On the more expensive side
I’ve always loved Kérastase’s shampoos and conditioners, but I particularly love its Blond Absolu conditioner to neutralise the unwanted warmth from my lengths. After blowdrying my hair, my balayage is noticeably brighter and more radiant after using it, and it never fails to leave my hair feeling silky and smooth to the touch. I also love the shampoo, hair serum and hair masque in this range as a whole routine to keep my hair colour looking salon-fresh.
3. Wella Professionals Color Fresh Semi-Permanent Colour Mask
Best Colour-Depositing Mask
Pros
- Deposits cool-toned colour into the hair
- Lasts through washes and fades gradually
Cons
- Not suitable for highlights, balayage or very light brunettes
- Can stain hands, so gloves need to be used
If you’re in need of a quick fix, then a good colour-depositing hair mask, such as this one, is at the top of my list. Applied all over, this hair mask deposits pigment into the hair that lasts for a couple of weeks and gradually washes out. There are a few shades to choose from, but the Cool Espresso shade is my favourite when I want to achieve a totally cool-toned shade all over. A word of warning: if you’re a very light brunette, or have highlights or blonde balayage, then avoid this shade, as it may turn them green and cling more in these areas. But if you have an all-over colour that you want to tone from warm to cool, then this is a great choice, and it even disguises greys, too. Make sure to wear gloves and wash away any residue from your bathroom, as the pigment is strong.
4. Olaplex No.3 Plus Ultimate Repair Treatment
Best Hair Treatment
Pros
- Repairs broken bonds in hair (which can often distort hair colour)
- Strengthens and adds a glossy shine
Cons
- Small bottle, but a little goes a long way
I’m always amazed at how effective a good hair bond-repairing treatment can be to revive my hair colour, even if it’s been months since my last salon visit. When our hair is damaged, the hair shaft is often overexposed, which can mean our hair colour can look brassy or fade more quickly. Olaplex‘s iconic formula repairs hair on a molecular level, restoring strength and shine to your hair, and simultaneously makes your hair colour look much fresher and more vibrant.
5. John Frieda Back to Brunette Grey Defying Foam
Best for Greys
Pros
- Helps to disguise grey and neutralise warmth
- Affordable option
- Ideal to break the cycle of getting permanent colour
Cons
- Better suited to dark brunettes
- You need to wear gloves
If you’re in the vicious cycle of constantly getting permanent colour to cover grey, only for it to lift and go warm after a few months, then this is a good alternative to cover grey if you want to break out of the cycle and help to disguise grey regrowth. This tinted foam deposits colour into the hair, helping to disguise grey on both natural and colour-treated hair. You need to wear gloves to apply it (otherwise it’ll stain your hands), and you leave it on for 10-20 minutes prior to shampooing, depending on the depth of colour you prefer. Think of it as a tinted moisturiser for your hair rather than a full-coverage foundation. It won’t make all the grey disappear, but it’ll blend it in more seamlessly. I find it also helps to tone down the unwanted warmth in my hair.
6. Glaze Supergloss Color Conditioning Gloss
Best Hair Gloss
Pros
- Neutralises brass and orange tones
- Also comes in colour-depositing shades to cool down warmth
Cons
- You need to wear gloves
- Some shades are not suitable for highlighted hair
Don’t be put off by the dark blue shade of this hair gloss. In colour theory, blue is the opposite of orange on the colour wheel, and so a blue hair treatment can help to cancel out unwanted orange tones in your hair. Although it’s designed for blondes, as a brunette, I approve of this toning hair gloss. Especially if you have lighter highlights or balayage that requires toning in between salon visits. The results are subtle, so don’t expect a dramatic transformation, but it’s ideal for maintenance to keep your colour looking its best. If you don’t have highlights and want to revive your brunette, then the Sleek Espresso or Blazing Brown shades are good choices.
7. Hello Klean Shower Head+
Best Shower Filter
If you live in a hard water area, then this is a great investment to make. It filters out impurities from water—such as metals and minerals—which can build up on our hair and prematurely cause brassiness and colour fading. After trialling this, I noticed that my freshly done hair colour remained vibrant and non-brassy for longer, as well as benefiting my overall scalp and hair health. It also comes in lots of different fittings and colourways to suit your bathroom fixtures. I’ve had the Filter previously, but am eyeing up the new Shower Head in this stunning brass finish.
Pros
- Removes build-up from water that can prematurely distort hair colour
- Boosts scalp and hair health
- Ideal for hard water areas
Cons
- An investment purchase
How We Tested
With over a decade of experience working in beauty, I’ve tried countless products to help neutralise the brassy tones in my hair. I’ve had my hair coloured with permanent hair colour that has left me with brassiness, so I’ve been testing the best products to counteract these unwanted orange tones in my hair. I tried numerous products across the category over several months, from shampoos and conditioners to shower filters and colour-depositing masks, to find the ones that really work.
Why Trust Us
At Who What Wear UK, we know that beauty isn’t one-size-fits-all. Our editors have tested thousands of products, including some skincare, makeup, hair and nails, over the years and work closely with trusted experts—dermatologists, make-up artists and leading industry insiders—to ensure every guide is well-researched, inclusive and relevant to you.
We focus on formulas that deliver, whether they’re affordable favourites or luxury investments. Our product selection is based on tangible results, ingredient know-how and what we’d truly recommend to a friend.
